


tend and mind

by smithens



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Short & Sweet, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:53:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26567620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smithens/pseuds/smithens
Summary: Flu season, 1934. Thomas makes for a good nurse.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Richard Ellis
Comments: 8
Kudos: 70





	tend and mind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hobbit_Kate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobbit_Kate/gifts).



> just a lil somethin somethin. hope u enjoy!

**York, October 1934**

Thomas squints. "102," he says. He shakes the thermometer in a way that Richard suspects for some reason isn't actually required, then wipes it off with disinfectant solution. He's so methodical. Richard's always liked that about him. "You're not going to argue with mercury, are you?"

"Guess not," Richard says, voice hoarse. He submits to swallowing from the glass of water held at his lips.

"And here we thought you'd gotten away scot free…" He sets both the glass and the thermometer down on the side table, then fixes him with a _look._ "'Course, you probably would have, if you hadn't insisted on –"

"You and I both know that I likely would've gotten it anyway."

His sigh is overdramatic. When he slips his arm around his waist and tugs Richard finds himself slumping against his shoulder, head and torso heavy. "Poor lamb," says Thomas, in the same sort of voice as Richard imagines he uses when he's minding misbehaving children. "Well, it was very noble of you."

All he did was bring round groceries, really. He's not Florence Nightingale.

Richard coughs; it thrums in his chest, then lingers, discomforting. He closes his eyes and turns his head into Thomas's neck—his lips touch the soft fabric of his shirtcollar, his nose rubs against the stubble at his jaw. His skin is warm; his body is warm. Thinking about how that works when he's sweltering with fever and drenched in his own sweat himself fogs his head. "You'd've done the same, if you had the opportunity," he mumbles. He can't manage much more than a whisper with the burn in his throat, but Thomas seems to understand him anyway. He laughs, in his own way fond and derisive at once, then presses a kiss to the top of his head, stroking the palm of his hand up and down his arm, ruffling his dressing gown. Again Richard coughs. The sound Thomas makes now is significantly more sympathetic than the one before.

"Yes, I would have," he says, gentle this time around. "But unlike some people I don't get ill whenever somebody so much as sniffles at me, do I?"

"I don't – "

"Shush," Thomas interrupts. Another kiss, and then he's reaching over (slightly dislodging Richard in the process) to grab the quilt at the end of the bed and tugging. Miraculously he manages to drape him in it without further disturbing him—no, not miraculously. With effort, because he cares. _I love you,_ Richard thinks. "Running your mouth's not gonna make you feel any better, Mr Ellis."

It's so silly, that they still keep that up… but that's another thing he likes, is he'll indulge him.

"I'm sticking around," Thomas goes on, tender. "You chose a good time to catch the flu."

And while he doesn't exactly _want_ for Thomas to spend his two days off caring for him, Richard is prone to agree.

**Author's Note:**

> this is in the [atlwss universe](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1747162) bc that currently is where my brain lives but theres no letter so im not sticking it in the series.
> 
> gifted to hobbitkate ♥ who expressed an interest in sickfic on tumblr when id already started this and it was motivation for me to actually do something to finsih it. but also dedicated to my girlfriend who made sure i ate food / took my medicine / didn't suffocate to death when i was suffering of rona back in march ♥
> 
> my tumblr is [@combeferre](https://combeferre.tumblr.com)


End file.
